There is a well-recognized need for safer operating mechanisms on firearms, such as pistols, revolvers, rifles, shotguns, etc. The attempts to solve the various problems involved seem to begin from the point of view that all firearms normally are to remain "armed and in a state of readiness" at all times. Safety features are viewed as "add/ons" and come into play only when activated by the user.
A need exists for a mechanism for maintaining a firearm in a neutral or disengaged state until actually needed at which time the firing assembly then can be made to function easily and quickly.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 875,469; 905,020; 2,945,316; 4,067,132; 4,135,320; 4,154,014; and 4,672,763 disclose different types of safety devices for firearms. The latter patent discloses a firearm that can be made to function from a disengaged state only by removing the cover from the handle and reassemblying the interior components which is time consuming.